


Where We Stand

by Glitchy Charlizard (CharlieMistry)



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types
Genre: Friends With Benefits, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Mental Health Issues, Past Relationship(s), Rebuilding
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-04-08
Updated: 2015-04-09
Packaged: 2018-03-21 21:21:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,200
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3705149
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CharlieMistry/pseuds/Glitchy%20Charlizard
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the events of Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire, Archie and Maxie attempt to work together to rebuild their lives and make up for their mistakes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So, this is the fic I've been working on for aaaaaaaages and I've almost finished so, yeah, I guess I'll start posting now. 
> 
> In later chapters, this fic deals with borderline personality disorder so, if you don't want to read about that, then don't. That element is somewhat based on my own experiences so, I've been really paranoid about posting this.

They had been "Friends with Benefits" for years. Even when they no longer considered each other friends, Archie and Maxie still had regular sexual encounters. 

The "Friends with Benefits" relationship had become some kind of twisted power game between the two men, as they led rival Teams with completely opposing agendas. Sometimes they even used their sex games as a means of gaining the upper hand in their real battle, the fight for dominance mirrored in both situations. 

But when their plans were foiled... Their teams disbanded... Everything they knew unravelled... They had little to no idea where they stood with each other. 

-

Archie was usually considered the more emotional of the two men. As he packed up his belongings from the Team Aqua hideout, an old photo slipped from the pages of a book and he quickly became nostalgic. 

It almost seemed silly to him. The photo was of him and Maxie, back in the Team Rocket days, over in Kanto or Johto. Maxie had been so... Cute... Cute? _Cute_ back then that now, Archie slapped himself mentally for suggesting back then that they "fuck to blow off steam" rather than flat-out asking him on a date, like he should've done. 

Would all of this Team Aqua and Magma business have happened if things had gone differently back then?

-

In the ex-Team Magma hideout, Maxie was carrying out a similar clear out. Though there was much less to clear, as he brought very little to the base with him in the first place. Business and pleasure were to be kept apart... Except when Archie was involved. As he found the model ship that Archie had built for him... Before... He called for Tabitha to move it for him. His young ex-second in command didn't really understand, but even stripped of his title of "The Great Maxie", he still knew better than to ask too many questions. 

"What do you want me to do with it?" the stout young man asked, allowing himself only necessary questions. 

Maxie closed his eyes and pursed his lips. Tabitha flinched, expecting Mount Maxie's temper to erupt. It didn't. In fact, the young man could've sworn he saw... _Tears_ at the corners of his eyes? That couldn't be right. 

"Sir?"

"Never mind, Tabitha," he huffed dismissively. "I'm sure my Camerupt will be able to help me carry it home."

So he found himself taking it home. He allowed himself to cry once he'd locked all the doors. 

-

Once his old hideout had been thoroughly gutted, Archie felt a little lost. His team were all gone. His bro Matt had decided to go back to school and Shelley had gone back to her old position at the Devon corporation. 

Completely alone, there was only one person he could think of who'd understand what he was feeling. He picked up his phone, searched the contacts for "Nerdass (Maxie)" and called. 

The answer was a shrieking noise, somewhat akin to that of an angry Camerupt. 

"You okay there, Maxie?" he asked softly. 

"I'm _fine_ ," he growled. "What do you want?"

"Well, considering everything we've been working on for years has uh.... Gone up in smoke, as it were... I figured we could meet up and brainstorm."

"One would need a brain for that. Also, 'brainstorm' isn't a PC term for that anymore," he barked. 

"It's not? Well, I'll be a Mankey's uncle. What is the PC term then?"

"I can't remember! It's not important," he huffed. "Anyway, where exactly did you have in mind? Not that I delight in the idea of your company, but sadly, you're right."

Archie smiled to himself. "Well, I've still got my desk and, like, two chairs in my base."

"That would be completely inappropriate!" Archie could practically hear the man blushing. "Surely, you're not too dense to forget... _Just no, okay?_ No, if we are to meet up, it is to be on neutral ground."

"I guess you have a point. Lilycove Motel?"

" _No_."

"Arceus, Maxie, is there anywhere you don't associate with us fucking?" He found himself getting irate at this point. 

Maxie was silent apart from his slightly increased breathing. 

"All right, if you're gonna be awkward, how about the the Rooftop Plaza in Lilycove City Department Store?" Archie suggested. 

"All right," he sighed. "Shall we meet as soon as we can get there?"

"Don't see why not. Remember to dress casual."

They both silently hung up. An old habit from their past relationship. Back in the day, one would bitterly call the other with a time and place, they'd hang up then be fucking within the hour. 

-

"You wan' a lemonade?" Archie asked, as Maxie sat opposite him at one of the little tables on the Rooftop Plaza. The smaller man was wearing a black turtleneck sweater and sunglasses. Archie had to bite his lip to stop himself laughing about it. 

"Well, I don't see a coffee machine around so yes, please, I suppose that will do," he replied. He found himself staring at Archie, in a tight grey t-shirt that left little to the imagination (Not that he really needed to imagine. It had barely been a couple of weeks since their last encounter). 

The former seafarer brought over two bottles of lemonade and handed one to his... Friend? Acquaintance?

"So, what are we going to do?" he asked. 

Maxie coughed on his lemonade. 

"Why are you asking me? This was your idea!" 

"You're the smart one, apparently," he laughed, taking a sip of his own lemonade. "We could set up some kind of business together."

Maxie sighed. "Perhaps you're being a little optimistic. After everything, how are we supposed to work together again? And what business are we even supposed to run together?"

"That's why we're brainstorming... Or whatever it is we're supposed to say. How is 'brainstorming' supposed to be offensive anyway?"

"I don't know," he growled. "I just heard it somewhere. And I think the preferred term is 'mind-mapping'."

"That sounds pretty dumb," Archie replied with a blank look. "Well, I bought a notebook on the way here."

"Did you bring a pen or a pencil?" The redhead asked. 

"Ah-ha, you've got a point there, mate! See, that's why we'd make a good team!"

-

The "meeting" carried on in pretty much the same vein. Their conversation remained incredibly shallow. 

Neither made any reference to their previous relationship. It seemed too dangerous a topic to bring up. If they were to become business partners, they needed to be... _Professional_. Sexual one-upping each other wouldn't work in this situation, so it was easier to pretend nothing ever happened. 

-

A few days later, they met up again. Same place, same drinks. But this time, both men made sure to bring a pen. 

"So, what are our combined skills?" Maxie asked, tapping his pen agitatedly against his own notebook. 

Archie snorted then quietly apologised. 

"Perhaps you could take up comedy," the redhead growled, tapping his pen harder. 

"Sorry, matey, I'll behave!" he laughed, twirling his pen around. "Uh... Well, I had this idea this morning. If we were able to re-employ our old team mates, we'd have all these Wingulls an' Golbats and whatnot, right?"

Maxie glared at him, not quite sure he liked where this was heading. 

"And they're quite fast little scamps! We could set up a delivery service!"

The glaring intensified. 

"I was thinking, where we were Aqua and Magma, I was trying to describe what happens when the two combine."

"I think I've heard enough," Maxie huffed. 

Archie continued regardless. "The magma _hardens_! How cool a name would that be?! _Hardenshipping_!"

Maxie whacked him with his notebook. 

"That a 'nay' or a 'yay'?"

"That was an 'I don't even know why I agreed to meet up with you', you imbecile."

Archie chuckled. "Fine, I'll cross that one off the list for now then."

"Maybe our only skills are petty criminal acts and catastrophically ill-thought out ecoterrorism," Maxie sighed, pushing his glasses atop his head and rubbing tiredly at his eyes. 

Archie observed him with concern. 

"We'll think of something, buddy. It won't be easy but just trust me on this, okay?"

The tired redhead couldn't bring himself to look at the more lively man. 

"Maybe we need a break from thinking. So, got anything fun planned for the weekend? Well, anything _planned_ at least, I know you don't do fun."

"I do fun," Maxie growled, sounding considerably like someone who didn't know what fun was. "Besides, we've hardly tried."

"Yeah, but don't you remember those Team Rocket social events for morale building?"

Maxie glared yet again. He remembered those events but he also remembered how they usually ended. He blushed. 

"Okay, not the best example? C'mon, Maxie, I'm really tryin' here!"

Maxie smiled a little. Which Archie felt to be somewhat of an achievement. 

"I guess we don't even need to set up a business right away. I dunno about you but I'll be financially okay for a while. Maybe we could just chillax for a while."

"Chillax?" he sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. 

"Chill! Relax! C'mon, Max! What's something you've always wanted to do?" He asked, smiling broadly. 

Maxie laughed slightly. "Other than attempt to improve the world via land expansion?"

"Aye, 'cause that's a dumb idea," he sniggered. "Like did you ever dream of being an artist or a rockstar or something?"

"Is this your bizarre way of asking me to join some strange heavy metal band?"

-

So they loosely discussed silly little dreams until the sky began to dim over them. 

"Arceus, when did it get so late?" Maxie muttered. 

"Time flies when you're having fun. And I know for a fact that I'm hella fun!"

"I had no idea that people actually said 'hella' unironically."

"We are a limited breed, but a hella fine one!"

"Stop saying it," he growled. 

Archie laughed heartily. "Fine then. So, do you want me to walk you home?"

"What?!" He barked. Even in the dimming light, Archie was sure he could see the man blushing. "Don't be so foolish. I'm a grown man, capable of finding my own way home. Why the sudden concern?"

"Well, I gotta admit, I've really enjoyed spending time with you! Never thought I'd live to see that."

Maxie adjusted his glasses on the bridge of his nose and smirked. "You're just getting overly sentimental in your old age. Goodbye for now."

"Fair seas to ya!"


	2. Chapter 2

They met up almost every day for the next month. Some days they'd meet up for lemonade, other days they'd do something "fun", like Archie would suggest something like roller skating or Maxie would suggest something like analysing rock samples. 

It wasn't long before the original purpose of their meetings had been forgotten and, despite everything, they had become incredibly close friends. 

And it wasn't as if something felt missing, but Archie felt a strange longing to be even closer. Not in the way they used to be, exactly... But whenever he saw the other man smile, he wanted to kiss him. He wanted to watch the sunset with him. He wanted to hold his hand. He wanted to hold him. 

'How did this happen?' He thought to himself when he woke up from such a dream. Nothing sexual had happened in it, but the intimacy was so potent... He felt _nervous_ , which was a feeling he'd long since forgotten about. He wanted to call Maxie to ask for his advice but quickly realised how awkward that idea was. Besides, it was 3am. 

But he wasn't sure how Maxie felt about him. He was still as hard to read as ever and he didn't want to lose this friendship they'd worked so hard to cultivate if it was just a... He didn't want to call it a crush, but Arceus be damned, he couldn't think of a more appropriate term. 

He got out of bed and paced a little, venting some frustration on a punching bag until he grew tired again. 

-

The next day, when he called Maxie to ask what he wanted to do today, he was answered with a fairly blunt "I'm ill today."

"Do you want me to get you some throat losenges or something?" Archie asked with concern. 

"No."

"I can make you some broth if you like?"

" _No_. Just... I'll sleep it off. Yes. Stop worrying about _me_."

Archie tried not to audibly sigh. Barely a month ago, he would never imagine worrying so deeply about this man. 

"Is there anything I can do?" he asked, feeling somewhat defeated. 

"Yes, just leave me alone," he growled, punctuating by hanging up the phone. Archie's heart could've shattered. 

-

This was an unexpected turn of events. It probably _shouldn't_ have been so unexpected, considering their past together... But Archie was shocked. 

He stared at the phone in his hand for a while. Blaming the phone for Maxie's odd rejection, he put it down on the kitchen counter then returned to his punching bag, not knowing what else to do. 

-

Later in the day, he tried to evaluate who he could turn to for advice on the matter. 

He was unlikely to be welcome in the Devon building, so Shelley wasn't an option, which was a shame, as she usually had pretty sound advice. 

His brother-from-another-mother Matt, having returned to education, was tricky to get ahold of... But he figured classes should be about done for the day so gave him a call. 

"Bro!!!" Came the excited reply, before Archie had even realised that the call had been answered. 

"Matt, buddy!" He replied, masking the sadness in his voice. 

-

They caught up on each other's lives - sort of. Archie failed to mention Maxie by name. Eventually, he had to bring up his initial reason for calling. 

"Bro, have you ever had, like... Uh... A crush, I guess, on someone close to you?" He asked with a sigh. 

Matt went silent for a moment. 

"Who told you?" He soon shrieked. "If it was Shelley, she's in such trouble, we pinky-swore on it!!!"

"Huh...?"

"It was only for a little while! I don't have a crush on you anymore, I swear, bro!"

Archie was now surprised. Everything was just a bit weird today. 

"You uh... Okay, we'll discuss that later," he mumbled. 'Or maybe never,' he added internally. 

"You're my bro, bro! Besides, it's cool now! You remember the quintuplets? I've asked one of them out on a date!"

"Cool, which one?"

"Shit, I should've asked her that..."

Archie rolled his eyes. "Well, good luck with that, buddy. So uh, I guess you probably don't have any advice on how to tackle my hypothetical problem then?"

"Bury your feelings deep down until you forget about them and don't tell Shelley about them!"

-

So, that had been unsuccessful. 

He texted Shelley (despite Matt's... _stellar_ advice), hoping that she'd be able to respond quickly but no such luck. 

He paced around his house, even trying to calm himself down by watching TV. 

This didn't work, so he grabbed a piece of paper, wrote "feelings" on it in marker pen then taped it to his punch bag. This was the most appropriate resolution he could come up with that didn't involve breaking into Maxie's house and unspecifically begging. 

-

Late in the evening, Archie had worn himself out. He didn't even realise that he'd fallen asleep on the couch until he was woken up by his phone ringing in his pocket. 

Expecting it to be Shelley, he automatically fished it from his pocket and answered with "Hey ho!"

"What...?"

"Maxie?! Hey, uh, sorry, thought it was Shelley."

Quiet laughter. "I wanted to apologise for this morning."

"Apologise for what?" he laughed with a little too much enthusiasm. 'Oh yeah, for hurting my feelings and trying to break my heart...' "Don't worry about it! You feelin' any better?"

"Yes, I think so," he replied, surprisingly meekly. "I think I'll be okay by tomorrow if you still wanted to meet up."

"Of course! Maybe just a Lilycove Dep Store Plaza lemonade social!" He replied, now genuinely enthusiastic, relief washing over him. 

"I'd like that."

"Great!" His phone made a beeping noise. He looked at the screen to make sure Maxie hadn't hung up again, but no, he was recieving another call. "Okay, now Shelley's calling me. I'll see you tomorrow. Now, with any luck, I can still give a convincing 'Hey ho!' after using the last one on you!"

Maxie laughed softly again. "All right. Goodnight, Archie."

-

With a blissful smile, Archie called Shelley again.   
"Hey h-"

"What's the dilemma then?" The woman on the end of the line drawled wearily. 

"Whaddaya mean, Shell?"

"You texted me for the first time in ages and all it said was 'Call me ASAP!'. I sort of jumped to the conclusion that something was wrong and that you needed my sage-like advice."

"Okay, you got me, I guess!" He laughed. "I didn't get very far asking Matt for advice so..."

"You asked _Matt_ for advice before _me_?!?!" She shrieked. 

"Well, yeah, you were probably more busy. Only thinkin' of you there, sweet cheeks!" he replied, laying on the Archie-smooth. 

"Fine. So what is it? Trouble in paradise with the boyfriend already?"

Archie coughed loudly. "The hell are you talking about?"

"Don't be coy, _everyone knows_."

"Well, _I_ don't know! Who exactly is supposed to be my... 'Boyfriend'?"

"Maxie. I didn't think you'd be so... _Uptight_ about it. Is he reprogramming you to be uptight?"

Archie was quiet for a moment. Who was _everyone_?

"Me and Maxie are just _good friends_."

"Oh..." she replied. 

Archie heard her put the phone down and call out something to someone in the room with her. 

They had a short conversation amongst themselves then Shelley picked the phone up again. 

"Really?" She asked him. 

"Yeah! Shell, you know I'd trust you with that kind of thing. Also, kudos on keeping Matt's weird crush on me secret."

She laughed sharply. "Ha, aw, I always thought that was cute. But yeah... So, Maxie's just your friend?"

" _Yeah_ , Shell."

She went quiet again. 

"Courtney asks if that's what the problem is."

Archie went quiet again. He could've sworn he heard a high-five over the phone. 

"Courtney, don't talk to Maxie about this, _please_?"

"She won't," Shelley sighed. "So, you're fuckbuddies but you've fallen for him?"

" _No_! Arceus, Shell, you jump to way too many conclusions!"

"The amount of times I've walked in on the two of you-"

"Oh yeah..." He mumbled, having somehow forgotten a lot of this. "We haven't... Since the teams disbanded. We have literally just been friends since then, but I think I have feelings for him. I don't know how he feels so I don't know what to do."

Her phone was put down again as she discussed the update with Courtney. This made him nervous again. 

Shelley picked the phone up. "Ask him on a date." She sounded kind of unsure, but she trusted Courtney, so Archie had to simply accept this chain of trust. 

"This has been a delightful conversation, but I'm going to leave you ladies alone for now," he finally sighed. "Good night!"

"Look after Maxie please~" he heard Courtney's almost-robotic voice ask.


End file.
